Meet the Indigowares Team
Indigowares has come a long way since it was just me, my indigo vat, and a love of pattern in 2016. We’ve grown to collaborate with so many skilled artisans in India, and are even welcoming a new studio assistant here in Hertfordshire! Whether you’re new to our indigo world or a long-time follower, keep reading for the latest info on our team…
LISA REDDINGS
Founder & Designer
I’m Lisa, founder and designer at Indigowares. I created Indigowares in 2016 out of my deep love for textile and creating pattern. Before this I spent 20 years working in the fashion industry, which had its ups and downs. Most of all, I struggled to watch as the planetary impacts of fast fashion became worse and worse over the years. I wanted to bring the opposite effect to the industry, to take action and create clothing that helps the planet instead of harming it. So with this goal, Indigowares was born.
The heart of Indigowares is to champion sustainability, the amazing makers, and the longstanding tradition behind each garment. Textiles can take you on a journey through time and culture, with so much of history proving that clothes can be made by working with the earth instead of against it. This is why I set out to make your closet a treasure chest of traditional textile processes, natural dyes, handloom weaving, block printing, and so much more. Each garment is a timeless design that comes with a story of the very soil, methods, and hands that made it.
To add to it all, Indigowares started as a way to support myself and my two kids, and has grown into a business that lets me be there for them at the same time. Between my family and studio in Hertfordshire, our partners in India, and our pattern loving customers around the world, it truly feels like the international slow fashion family I envisioned from day one.
OUR TEAM IN INDIA
KIRAN SANDHU
Indigo artisan & owner of Tarai Blue Farms
Kiran Sandhu – Kinny for short – is the founder and owner of Tarai Blue Farms and our long-time collaborator (left in the image above). Kinny’s indigo farm sits in the foothills of the lower Himalayas, which is the ideal marshy land and climate for indigo to flourish for four crops a year. On top of growing, harvesting, and extracting our indigo dye, Kinny works with her team of skilled artisans to create the beautiful indigo patterns that you see on many of our garments.
If you have a look at Kinny’s work, you’ll see that she is a passionate artist and creator. Her journey began by studying textile design at the Women’s Polytechnic in Delhi. During her time there, she noticed how difficult natural indigo was to find and decided that she wanted to grow it organically. This led her to spend years learning the trade of farming and extracting indigo… and led us to be lucky enough to work with her beautiful crop and techniques. A true indigo artist at heart.
SHIVAM
Kantha textile sourcing
If you are a fan of our kantha jackets, you’ll be familiar with Shivam’s work. Kantha jackets are created from traditional quilts made out of colourful repurposed textiles like old vintage Saris. Shivam sources these amazing quilts, and is the reason that we can bring you hand stitched jackets in the most beautiful colours and patterns.
SHANKOR & RAJINDA
Indigo Dyers
Shankor and Rajinda are two of the expert indigo dyers that we work with, and are absolute masters of their craft. They know the ins and outs of every step of indigo extraction and patternmaking, which helps us bring any indigo pattern dream we have to life.
OUR BLOCK PRINT TEAM
Our block printing team is located in Sanganer, and is the reason we have been able to create so many new custom patterns with eco friendly inks. They use techniques like dabu mud printing, colour layering and resist dyeing, combined with our natural indigo to create stunning blue repeat patterns by hand.
OUR TEAM IN THE UK
KAE
Copywriter & Digital Design
As Indigowares started growing, we needed more hands! Kae joined the team in 2020, and has been an extra pair of digital hands ever since. She helps with everything from writing our blogs, newsletters, and press coverage to our recent website revamp.
Kae’s background is in fashion and digital print design, so she came to Indigowares with an understanding of textile processes. After getting her start in fashion design, she went on to pursue her digital expertise and now helps independent product and media brands to develop content that brings their mission to life verbally and visually.
Kae is originally from New York (excuse the accent), and now lives in London with her husband and the love of both their lives – rescue dog Bo.
Kat
Studio Assistant
We are so excited to have Kat joining us as a new studio assistant in 2024! Kat is a lover of all things sustainable, and has been a long-time lover of Indigowares before joining the team. As our stock grows, Kat will be helping us keep up with products in house and bring them to you.
Kat originally trained as an actor, then continued to work in the arts and run a media agency in London for 15 years. She has worked across different artistic practices, from media, to teaching drama, to becoming a yoga instructor.
Kat now lives in Hertfordshire with her husband, 2 daughters and their dog and cat.
Louisa
Support & Sales
Louisa has been a huge part of Indigowares’ support system from day one. If you have been to any of our markets or popups you may have met Lou… you may have even bought your Indigowares from her! Whenever we’ve needed more hands or hearts on board, Lou has been there with support.
Lou now runs her own eco gardening business in Hertfordshire, which is going from strength to strength.